Improvement in grain and middlings separators



i K. SGHWAB. Grain and Middlings Separators.

No.l47,797.

Patented Feb. 24. I874.

I FIGLnS.

0R aZwa Z INVENT FIG-2.

NESSES NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.KILIAN SGIIW'AB, OF LEBANON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN AND MIDDLINGS SEPARATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 147,797, dated February24, 1874; application filed December 1651873.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, KILIAN SCHWAB, ofLebanon, St. Clair county and State of,Illinois, have invented anImproved Grain and Middlings Separator, of which the following is aspecification My invention achieves a most simple, direct, and practicalseparation of all kinds of grain, middlings, and the like.

My invention is composed of a series of peculiarly arranged andconstructed separators. Each in itself, however, forms a distinctseparator, having a separate chamber to receive the results of its ownseparation, and passing its offal to the next, and so on through theseries of separators, at same time utilizing the same current of air.The grain, middlings, or substance is acted upon according to thepeculiar nature of its requirement, and separated into different sorts,qualities, and grades, all of which will now more fully appear.

Of the'drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional clevation. Fig. 2 is a frontelevation; Fig. 3, a side or end elevation; Fig. 4, a detailperspective, showing slide and cut-off parts 5 and Fig. 5, a top plan.

My machine, as here shown, is upright.

A is asuitable frame. A current of air is introduced, forced, or drawnthrough my machine; hence same will be provided with a suitable fan,blast, or suction attachment. The arrangement and connection of the windattachment, however, should be such as to pass its current from bottomthrough the machine, and out at top, by way of a continuous action orcirculation. At top of frame A is the feed-hopper a. This connects andforms part with a slanting chute, B. (See Fig. 1.) Through the hopper athe grain is fed to pass through the chute B. Inside the chute B, Iprovide a self-acting valve, 0, so arranged as to open passage for thegrain, (the weight of the grain opening said valve,) and closing itspassage when no grain .is fed; the object of the valve 1) (see Fig. 1)being to prevent the air from outside entering where the grain is fedin, as otherwise no separation of the grain could take place. From thechute B the grain 7 drops upon the top separator C, which consists asfollows: An angular frame, 0 c, with open in g left at top, throughwhich the separated or lighter grain is deposited in the chamber D thusformed. (See Fig. l.) The inclined top face of the frame 0 has asheet-metal lining, with flanged side edges, in which operates ahand-slide, (Z. (See Figs. 1, 4.) The slide (1 has its upper edge (1bent vertical, and is flanged at bottom edge (1 The. handle of of saidslide passes outside of the frame A, within reach of the operator.

The slide (1 performs the following functions First, enabling theoperator to suit the act of separation to the peculiar natureof thegrain, and to control the opening to chamber D, by allowing more or lessof the light or separated grain to fall back into said chamber.Secondly, the introduced grain and the like striking the slide (1, itsupper flange al acts to arrest the heavy grain from passing into theseparatingchamber D. At same time, especially, said edge (1 of the slideacts to divide the grain, so that the air-current more easily separatesthe lighter from the heavier grain, and causes the lighter to be passedinto said separating-chamber D. Thirdly, the slide at ,controls thepassage of the grain over its face, to be passed to the next grade ofseparation, its bottom edge at specially being to arrest, or cause aslower passage of the grain over its slide. In case of iniddlings, thisbottom edge can be dispensed with.

Further, the separator (J proper consists of a cut-off, E, which 1provide near the lower edge of the frame 0. (See Figs. 1, 4.) Thecut-oft E is hinged, and is operated from with out the machine by itshandle 0. The object of said cut-off is to enable the operator to regulate and control still more the passage of the grain from oneseparator, O, to another, and at same time separate the coarser from thefiner grain. By raising the cut-off E, a slower passage over same forthe grain is had; by lowering cut-off, a faster passage. At same timethat the grain is acted upon by the position of the cutoff E, theair-current can, by its force, more adequately separate the lighter fromthe coarser grain.

These said aforementioned parts complete .what I term one separator, andgives as a re sult one grade of separation.

Further separation is readily had by pass in g the heavier grain fromthe separator G to (All shown in Fig. 1.) V

the other side of the machine-to the next and similar separator E,positioned to the left of the machine.

The separator F consists of the same parts, and their arrangement is thesame as those of G aforesaid, inclusive of a chamber, F.

Again, each part composing a separator, O, V

tion; hence, from the commonest quality of grain, a separation is herehad to the finest possible condition. Each of the separating-chambersdischarges its contents independently hence I provide each chamber witha proper outlet to communicate with a discharge-spout. I are thedischarge-spouts, and these I pivot to the frame A, so as to be capableof discharging either to the right or left. The opening at bottom ofeach discharge-clian'lber I providewith a suitable self-acting valve, z,Figs. 1 and 3, so arranged as to open by force of the grain, to efiectits exit, and to be self-closing, so that no outside air can get in andprevent the full discharge of said grain. The dust, dirt, and impuritiesare carried along with the air-currentout of top of machine. The sidesof the frame A I provide with glass, as at i, to e11- able the operatorto see the interior workings of the machine.

What I claim is 1. A separator, 0, consisting of the parts,

viz., an angular frame, 0 c, hand-slide (I, cutoff E, anddischarge-chamber D, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. One or more separators, G F G H, consisting of chambers D F G H,hand-slide d, and cut-off E, arranged to the right and left withrelation to each other, in combination with a frame, A, having a passagefor a continuous current of air, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony of said invention I have hereunto set my hand in presenceof witnesses.

. KILIAN soHWAn.

- Witnesses:

SEVERIN E. Morr, CHRISTIAN MiJLLnR.

